Conventionally, some of thermoplastic resins such as a polypropylene resin (PP), a polybutylene terephthalate resin (PBT), and a polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA) have been used for fabricating household plumbing equipments such as a toilet, a hand wash basin, or a face wash basin.
The thermoplastic resin has superior shape forming characteristics and has a cost advantage. However, the thermoplastic resins have disadvantages as well as advantages in physical property. Therefore, the thermoplastic resin has not been used often for fabricating the household plumbing equipment exemplified above. Also, the thermoplastic resins is limited of its intended use depending on the characteristics thereof.
As an example, the polypropylene resin has superior chemical resistance and superior solvent resistance, but has low surface hardness. For this reason, it has been used mainly for fabricating a toilet for care (a toilet) etc. of household plumbing equipments.
The polybutylene terephthalate resin has superior chemical resistance and superior solvent resistance, but has low surface hardness and inferior durability of water-resistance. For this reason, it has been used mainly for fabricating a hand wash basin etc. of household plumbing equipments.
The polymethyl methacrylate resin has superior water resistance and superior weather resistance, and further, it has superior (higher) surface hardness compared with the polypropylene resin and the polybutylene terephthalate resin. That is, the polymethyl methacrylate resin has the above described superior characteristics for use in the above-exemplified household plumbing equipments. However, it has inferior solvent resistance. For this reason, it has been used mainly for fabricating a household toilet etc. of household plumbing equipments.
Besides, patent literature 1 describes a molding material, which is made by combining a thermoplastic resin composed mainly of the poly trimethylene terephthalate resin with various addition ingredients. In the patent literature 1, this molding material is used for fabricating some parts of a handrail, which may be used in a wet condition. However, this molding material is not suitable, in aspect of the physical property, for fabricating the above-exemplified household plumbing equipments, considering that it is composed mainly of the poly trimethylene terephthalate resin and considering the characteristics of combined material with the various addition ingredients.